Compare towns
Carmel vs Monroe vs Etna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
Monroe has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Carmel | Monroe | Etna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,001Lowest |
1,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 4% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
41.9±3.4Lowest 6% below ME |
| Carmel and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±1.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Monroe and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2% ME: 36.2% |
29.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±0.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kHighest 10% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$72,379±$16kLowest 3% below ME |
| Carmel and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,800±$37kHighest 13% below ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$183,000±$49kLowest 38% below ME |
| Carmel and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187Highest 12% above ME |
$1,165±$152Lowest about the ME average |
— |
| Carmel and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Highest 12% below ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$1,745Lowest 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Etna and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1992Lowest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1993 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.6%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Monroe and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.